"This is what I worked my whole life for," Amaya told MLSSoccer.com at the draft in Chicago. "This is a crazy moment."

Amaya, 18, is the youngest player in the draft, but his upside is such that he's expected to adapt well to the professional game, even in a central playmaking role that is usually the domain of foreign players.

Liam Ridgewell is leaving the Portland Timbers after 97 appearances across five seasons.

The Portland Timbers and defender Liam Ridgewell have agreed to mutually part ways.

Ridgewell played for the Timbers for five seasons and made 97 appearances, all starts. The two-time All-Star was on the Portland team that won the MLS Cup in 2015 and appeared in 13 postseason games during his career with the Timbers.

Alvas Powell will join a formidable defensive line for MLS expansion side FC Cincinnati.

FC Cincinnati acquired defender Alvas Powell on Thursday from the Portland Timbers for $250,000 in general allocation money, as well as a percentage of the fee if the player is transferred outside the MLS.

Powell, 24, made 23 club appearances for Portland in each of the last four seasons. He won an MLS Cup with the Timbers in 2015, as well as playing in the 2018 MLS Cup loss to Atlanta.

Powell is a Jamaica international, having made his debut for the Reggae Boyz in 2012.

Sigi Schmid, the winningest coach in MLS history, has died. He was 65.

Schmid's family said he died Tuesday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Schmid was hospitalized three weeks ago as he awaited a heart transplant.

"Our family is deeply saddened by his passing and is taking this time to grieve the loss of a tremendous husband, father, leader and mentor," the family said in a statement Wednesday through the Seattle Sounders, one of the three MLS teams Schmid coached.